Analysis Of Bohemian Rhapsody Music Essay

Analysis Of Bohemian Rhapsody Music EssayBohemian Rhapsody was recorded by the British contention mass queen. Released in October 31, 1975, Bohemian Rhapsody was greeted like a miracle from heaven in the largely head offren musical ground of the mid-Seventies. At the time it was produced like roughly expensive single. Brian May thought of that the tracks main album A night At The Opera as their Sgt Pepper. It was the original time that an opera passage had been feature with a pop record and reached number one place. The straining obviously has a very unique structure and the operatic section was planned to be a lot shorter, but when they got to the studio they decided to make it bigger.The claim was recorded at the Roundhouse studios, located in Wales in positionicular the Rockfield studio 1. Freddie hydrargyrum is the writer of the song in any case keyboard player and a lead vocalist in the band. He wrote the song in his smooth while he was act to develop a complex song , which would consist of more than three sections. Using a structure that leans towards a more classical approach, which was in contrast to the contemporaneous-pop make at that time. According to Brian May most of the song was written in a studio environment, but the rest of the band claim that Freddie had everything in his spike before that. Interestingly enough the song hasnt got a chorus, but just a complex layer of verses and main separate including a b completelyad verse, an operatic passage, a heavy rock solo and a classical outro.Queens prowess at layered vocal harmonies, dominated by Mercurys soaring operatics, was insurgent to none, while Brian Mays multitracked guitar orchestrations were arguably the most creative contributions to the instrument since Jimi Hendrix. In the studio the band embraced the innovative break withs laid down during the psychedelic and progressive eras, and took them to some other plain. go they relied on but a simple instrumental line-up of G uitar, Bass, Piano and Drums, they played them like they were new inventions and in doing so, delivered a genuinely new, epic slant on rock. Launched into the age of glitter, it was no surprise when Queens flam boyance earned them a glam rocker tag. Although studio technology played a vital part in the stunning results, what must not be overlooked is the natural tone of Mays homemade guitar, his vibrato technique and the use at all times of a liquid sixpence in place of a pick. Brians great strength was in phrasing a part and wherefore double-tracking or harmonizing very accurately.The title of the song has a powerful rock ideology the word Bohemian could be traced to the practice of an unorthodox lifestyle. That could be associated with like-minded people having musical and artistic or qualities.A rhapsody can be described as music in a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour and tonality. A burst of sudden inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variationsBohemian rhapsody was the biggest victor in radio and charts for queen. They achieved that with introduction of a video clip to the song that was broadcasted heavily on radio and television. It was punishingly influenced by the media hype they created with their experiments previous albums. The overt expected to hear such an experimental approach. Queen had a previous attempt in a similar form that was used in the song the The march of the black queen which didnt reach the success of Bohemian Rhapsody.The band wanted to become famous with that kind of song and they achieved it, because of their musical geniuses.They band had round attempts to reach popularity with similar songs in structure and form. But they didnt receive the deserved media attention. Freddie needed to write something like that for a long time. With the high standard of contemporary and classical mix of lit erary genres bohemian rhapsody clearly represents the album Night at the opera and still is one of the most epical contemporary albums nowadays. The recording physical process took three weeks, and the song was changed many times until the final piece was produced.The classical genre of opera has invaded well(p)ly all aspects of popular culture. Especially one inbred sphere of popular culture that has remained relatively immune to operatic influence is rock music. Even when hearing the song for first base time and you didnt know who atomic number 18 queen, the operatic influence and form in the whole album be clearly distinguishable. They are combined in symbiosis with their progressive and experimental hard-rock genre from their previous albums to create something unique that was never heard before on this scale with that kind of success.The song consists of six sections introduction, ballad, guitar solo, opera, hard rock, and outro. This format, with abrupt changes in style, tone, and tempo, was unusual to rock music.Intro part (000-048)The song begins with a cappella multitrack layered vocals. The tonal centre of this part is in B mat, Although the music video shows that the whole band is singing at the beginning, Fredie recorded it by himself. The lyrics are questioning if this is the real life or a fantasy, almost like hes dreaming not sincerely aware of whats going on. And then he goes open your eyes look up to the skies and see. It means to free yourself and realize. When he says Im just a poor boy hes speaking in first person you can feel the tragic character on his voice.The melody of the voice, doesnt fully represent the true tones sung by FreddieFIG 1Analysis of the first part. agree influences In the first bar the song begins with a B flat six chord. Then in that respect is a Cmaj7 which alternates with Bflat6. In the third bar theres Fmaj7 and Cm7 emphasizing on a dominant function with the fa in octaves at fifth time, which resolves i n B flat alternating with CM7.FIG2FIG2 , act bar Gm which is the parallel minor of B flat. Bflat, acts as a III mediant and then goes to the other mediant on VI functionFIG3 second bar goes to Cm and then to the subdominant IV Fmaj and on forth time modulates to Bmaj(FIG4) the concordance moves chromatically through Bflatmaj and A for the first devil nix resolving to Bflatmaj and in the fourth bar eventually goes to IV subdominant Eflatmaj piteous through Bflat with a third in the bass.FIG5 First bar skeletal C which acts as a subdominant moves to the dominant with a fifth in the bass Fmaj following a classical cadence that resolves to Bflat on the third bar. The harmony is in arpeggio, with octaves on G and F, which could be interpreted as a sixth chord Bflat6Ballad (049-237)FIG6 This part of the song is recurrent twice in a verse. Everything is the corresponding except for the lyrics. Second bar goes to the VI mediant Gminor moving through II Cm and stays there until the third time, first bar on figure6 when it goes to the dominant F. The movement, I VI II V can be characterized as a chain of fifths root-motion. The arrangement is quite bare in the first verse. Theres piano and bass played, but no guitars or backing vocals. The introduction of drums is retained until the beginning of the second verse, entering along with the double tracked circle guitars.FIG7Following the verse instalment the same passage Bflat-GminorFIG8And heres an interesting alternated cadence which changes the whole structure of the verse with Cm7 that passes through augmented B and reaches stability in the subdominant Eflatmaj-5 that leads to the dominant Fmaj-3bass and the semitone movement in the bass on third time changes the function to minor and the G predisposes to Eflatmaj- Bflatmaj-3.The similarity between the two parts of the section is easily distinguishable. The first has a more straight-ahead progression, but the second one is a variant.FIG9C minor - F minor - Bflatmaj that act as a dominant to Eflatmaj, The transition of a key shifting doesnt seem that obvious, partially using a modulation that is executed smoothly and its difficult to detect. On the other hand, the tonal center of the part steps along the new key.FIG10First volta begins with the tonal centre of Eflatmaj which moves to dominant V Bflatmaj and then to the VI mediant Cminor moving through a minor subdominant Amflat. This function suggests of a melodic major scale with flattened VI and VII, which resolves to Eflatmaj. And the same sequence repeated with a Eflat diminished - Fminor7 to leads the harmony to the second verse in this part with two bars in Bflatmaj.FIG11Second volta is entirely a guitar solo that leads to the abutting part of the song. Chord functionsFirst bar Eflatmaj- third beat Bflatmaj-3 second bar Cminor and third bar Fminor.Guitar solo (237-303)The band builds up intensity that reaches the peak and flood tide in this part.(figure) First bar Bflat7 - se cond bar Eflatmaj - third beat Gminor-5, fourth bar is in Cminor, fifth bar in Fminor, sixth bar is moves through Dflatmaj, dflatmaj with c in bass and Bflat minor. Brian recorded his own version of Freddies melody instead copying it.FIG12The solo is in a mixolydian scale, because the scales from Bflat to Bflat have an A flat alteration a flattened seventh that is necessary for the eflatmaj. The harmony in the last bar of the solo changes chromatically as it the key changes to A, which is is a drastical change. The operatic segment enters immediately as Mays solo abruptly concludesOpera (303-408)FIG13The choir effect was created by having May, Mercury, and Taylor sing their vocal parts continually for ten to dozen hours a day. Multi track layered vocals that mimic a wall of sound can be heard throughout this part. According to Roger Taylor they had sufficient vocal qualities to accomplish that. Freddie was good in the middle of the range, Brian had a powerful low voice and Taylor was singing the highest tones. They have used a 24track tape machine to record all these parts in a three weeks period.This part of the song is strongly operatic. It hasnt got a clear measurement and even thou it begins in Amajor with clear chromatic pattern that goes D major, A major, A diminished, and back to A major that is repeated twice and then continues with the subdominant move FIG13D major, A major, D major, A major, A diminished, A major, D major, A major. On thunderbolts it shifts to Dflatmajor with aflat in the bass, Aflatmajor followed by a Cmajor with fifth in bass and Emajor that suggests a very classical culmination of the wording rarely used in rock music. Many of the lyrics in this part are phrases of the Quran.The word Scaramouch means A stock character that appears as a boastful coward.FIG14Fig cannot be characterized with a tonal centre Freddie and Taylor are repeating a chromatic phrase in octaves, which resolves in another wall of layered vocals. The word Gal ileo was used for Brian May who was interested astronomy and Galileo Galilei was a famous scientist. Magnifico means magnificent in Italian.FIG15At the second bar and then it returns to the previos pattern of chromatic melody accompanied by rapid changes in harmony as it follows from the third bar Bmaj, Bflatmaj, Amajor, BflatmajFIG16The same chord sequence as in the previous bar is repeated. On the second bar in the chorus section the harmony progression changes toAflatmaj, Eflatmaj, Eflat diminished, and goes the back to Eflatmaj, which seems to be the same chord sequence as in used in the beginning of the operatic part, Dmaj, Amaj, Adiminished, Amaj therefore the tonal centre should be Eflatmaj. The whole sequence repeated once once more in the third bar.FIG17Aflatmaj and Eflat in the first bar resolve to Fmaj and Bflatmaj accompanied with the melody. At the third bar theres an intro to the solo part of narrator whos negotiating for his life continues in a chromatic movement Afla tmaj, Eflatmaj-3, Fsharp diminished and Fminor-7. The absence of minor chords is quite drastic, but not unexpected for acapela passage.FIG18The first two bars follow the harmonic sequence Bmaj, Bflatmaj, Amaj, Bflat this movement is chromatic in semitones gradually reaching the dominant Bflat and resolves in Eflat at the third bar. Bismillah is one of those voice communication taken from the Quran and it literally means In the name of Allah. In this part clearly the narrator is struggling to save his life, but the judges are not going to let him go. The whole message is repeated once again.FIG19On the phrase will not let you go theres a strong accent as if its been chopped to impose an authority expression. Also taylor plays on the floor tom in quavers as if hes banging the judges hammer. The lyrical phrase let him go is in Eflatmaj and suggests that someone is also pleading for his innocence. We will not let you go is in Bflat emphasizing on a dominant function.FIG20The whole harm onic sequence is repeated once again to dramatize the struggle and negotiation, until it reaches another layered wall of vocals.FIG20In the second bar the harmony changes to Gflat7. On the pharese No no no theres a chord progression Bminor, Amajor, Dmajor, Dflatmajor, GflatmajFIG21, Bflatmaj dominant chord and resolving in Eflatmaj. With the narrator in solo, whos moaning and whining with the phrase florists chrysanthemum mia. Bflat on let me go resolving to-FIG22Eflatmaj, Aflatmaj,and Dmajor, Gminor in the second bar moving towards Bflat on the third and staying on a dominant chord for the next four bars.FIG23And changing the pulsation to triplets until finally resolving to EflatmajorHard rock (408-455)This part begins with a solo intro performed by May that ends in Fminor. It has a rather aggressive and angry approach compared to the dramatic previous part.FIG24The harmony on the verse follows the chord sequence Bflat7, Eflat7-5, Bflatmaj, EflatFig25Bflat in the first bar and the n a pause of 2 beats for the voice in Dflat Brian plays on it. The verse sequence repeats, butFIG26On the phrase die goes to Aflatmaj, Fminor and Bflatmaj on Oh fluff and then again Fminor on cant do this to me babyFIG27Bflatmaj followed by Fminor with a seventh this time. The sequence is repeated twice until reaching FIG28Eflatmajor in the first bar followed by an instrumental solo, gradually slowing down and decreasing the velocity.Outro (455-555)The song returns to the pace and form of the intro part. The guitar is playing along with the vocals Ooh ahh. Theres a second guitar melody played as a second voice that was recorded with a different amp. Lyric wise the phrase Nothing really matters appears again from the beginning of the song and is accompanied by an arpegiated piano that is suggesting a resignation and dramatic images with the usage of minor chords. At the very end of the song theres a sound of a big gong that is emphasizing on the completeness of the whole song struct ure.Roy Thomas Baker recorded the song using just a single microphone on the snare, U67 or U87 on the toms and overheads. An AKG D12 was used on the bass drum. John Taylors bass was recorded via direct input into the desk. They have also recorded the bass with a cabinet to pick up the air movement with Electrovoice 666 and Neuman U67. Freddies piano was miked up using two Neuman U67 in a two-channel pair and a shure vocal microphone for his voice. Brian may used Vox AC30 amp (backless) they also set up some microphones behind the amp and near the wall to capture some ambience and the full spectrum of the guitar sound. While the first three albums had been made using a 16-track equipment, Bohemian Rhapsody benefitted from the 24 track technology. concordant analysis referenced to a simple score of the piece provided by lecturer.